Any owner or operator who causes to be constructed or consents either expressly or impliedly to the construction of a new deep injection well without having first obtained a permit therefor from the director of the department of water resources as provided in this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Any owner or operator who causes an existing deep injection well to be modified or consents either expressly or impliedly to the modification of an existing deep injection well without having first obtained a permit therefor from the director of the department of water resources as provided in this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. From and after January 1, 1974, any owner or operator who continues to operate and maintain or consents either expressly or impliedly to the continued operation and maintenance of an existing deep injection well without having first obtained a permit therefor from the director of the department of water resources as provided in this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor; provided, that no misdemeanor shall occur where an owner or operator applied for a permit before January 1, 1974, and the director of the department of water resources has not approved or rejected said application. Any owner or operator of a proposed or existing injection well who violates the rules and regulations of the water resource board shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Each and every day that such activity is carried on in violation of this section shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.